WITH her boyfriend punching and kicking an already injured Robert “Dutchy” Holland just a few metres away, Tiffany Pandel approached the Australian Test cricket great’s then 68-year-old wife, Carolyn, repeatedly kicked her in the face and ribs and stole her phone, Newcastle District Court has heard. Mr Holland and his wife were attacked and allegedly robbed of their phones when they arrived at Awaba Oval on the afternoon of August 27, 2016, to find Ms Pandel and her then boyfriend, Benjamin Gibbs, riding a motorbike on the field. Ms Pandel admits to assaulting Mrs Holland, but denies stealing her iPhone. She is facing an estimated four-day trial in Newcastle District Court this week which began with her pleading not guilty to aggravated robbery and inflict actual bodily harm, but guilty to the back-up charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Holland, who made his Test cricket debut at 38, was the secretary of the Awaba Ovals board at the time he was attacked. He died in September last year after a battle with brain cancer. During his opening address on Tuesday, DPP solicitor Andrew Lynch detailed what led to the vicious assault and alleged robbery at Awaba Oval. Mr Holland, who had a sling on his right arm after recent shoulder surgery, told Gibbs not to ride on the cricket oval and directed him to another nearby field. But the conversation appeared to turn ugly and Mrs Holland said she pulled out her phone to begin videoing. “At some point I did look down there and I got the feeling that things weren't going terribly well,” Mrs Holland gave evidence on Tuesday. “After a second or so I got my phone out of my handbag and thought I should maybe video this.” Mr Lynch said Gibbs then “made a beeline” towards Mrs Holland on his bike, knocking her to the ground. Gibbs then punched Mr Holland in the face, knocking him down onto his injured shoulder, and kicked his ribs. “Meanwhile, [Ms Pandel] approached Mrs Holland and kicked her several times,” he said. “Ms Holland was still on the ground at this stage.”

WITH her boyfriend punching and kicking an already injured Robert “Dutchy” Holland just a few metres away, Tiffany Pandel approached the Australian Test cricket great’s then 68-year-old wife, Carolyn, repeatedly kicked her in the face and ribs and stole her phone, Newcastle District Court has heard.

Mr Holland and his wife were attacked and allegedly robbed of their phones when they arrived at Awaba Oval on the afternoon of August 27, 2016, to find Ms Pandel and her then boyfriend, Benjamin Gibbs, riding a motorbike on the field.

She is facing an estimated four-day trial in Newcastle District Court this week which began with her pleading not guilty to aggravated robbery and inflict actual bodily harm, but guilty to the back-up charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Holland, who made his Test cricket debut at 38, was the secretary of the Awaba Ovals board at the time he was attacked.

He died in September last year after a battle with brain cancer.

Robert “Dutchy” Holland

During his opening address on Tuesday, DPP solicitor Andrew Lynch detailed what led to the vicious assault and alleged robbery at Awaba Oval.

Mr Holland, who had a sling on his right arm after recent shoulder surgery, told Gibbs not to ride on the cricket oval and directed him to another nearby field.

But the conversation appeared to turn ugly and Mrs Holland said she pulled out her phone to begin videoing.

“At some point I did look down there and I got the feeling that things weren't going terribly well,” Mrs Holland gave evidence on Tuesday.

“After a second or so I got my phone out of my handbag and thought I should maybe video this.”

Mr Lynch said Gibbs then “made a beeline” towards Mrs Holland on his bike, knocking her to the ground.

Gibbs then punched Mr Holland in the face, knocking him down onto his injured shoulder, and kicked his ribs.

“Meanwhile, [Ms Pandel] approached Mrs Holland and kicked her several times,” he said. “Ms Holland was still on the ground at this stage.”

Meanwhile, [Ms Pandel] approached Mrs Holland and kicked her several times. Mrs Holland was still on the ground at this stage.